Feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine

ABSTRACT

A feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine, including an upper shell joined to a lower shell so as to form a chamber which has an inlet and an outlet; the device is installed at casting rolls of the machine in order to feed liquid aluminum or zinc to the casting rolls; the device is characterized in that it is made of composite materials based on carbon, graphite, calcium silicate.

The present invention relates to a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a feeding/distribution device, known as tip, installed in a continuous casting machine, known as caster, for the production of aluminum or zinc strips.

The tip is designed to feed the aluminum or zinc in liquid form to the casting rolls and is installed between the rolls on the inlet of the molten metal.

Currently, in its normal use, the tip, made of ceramic fiber, has an average lifespan of approximately ten days of continuous casting of aluminum and approximately fifteen days for zinc.

Tip replacement obviously entails stopping the continuous casting apparatus in order to remove the depleted element and install a new one.

The tip is constituted by two shells, an upper one and a lower one, and baffles, also made of ceramic material, are located inside it and have the purpose of conveying the flow of liquid metal.

The width and length (depth) of the tip are sized in relation to the width of the strip to be produced and to the diameter of the roll installed on the caster. During continuous casting, the wear of the tip, which is made of ceramic fiber, generates a continuous degradation of the quality of the produced strip. The causes of this deterioration can be traced back to thermal stress, chemical aggression, and mechanical abrasion, for example due to an incorrect placement of the setback.

Tip replacement entails, in addition to the loss of production, inconveniences for its maintenance (removal and assembly) and for its disposal.

The tip is in fact made of material that is considered carcinogenic.

Traditional ceramic tips have long been considered materials that are carcinogenic by inhalation, rated R49 according to the R-Phrase system, currently replaced by H-Phrases.

Therefore, at the end of the life of the ceramic tip it is necessary to provide for the special disposal of the element, bearing additional management costs for the company.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine that overcomes the drawbacks of the cited background art.

Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine that ensures a substantially longer operating life with respect to tips of the background art. Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine that allows to obtain a product with superior technical characteristics with respect to tips of the traditional type.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine that eliminates the carcinogenic inhalation risk.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which, by virtue of its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine, including an upper shell joined to a lower shell so as to form a chamber which has an inlet and an outlet; the device being installed at casting rolls of a continuous casting machine in order to feed liquid aluminum or zinc to the casting rolls; the device being characterized in that it is made of composite materials based on carbon, graphite, calcium silicate.

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional schematic lateral elevation view of the feeding/distribution device according to the present invention, installed at the casting rolls;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the feeding/distribution device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device of the preceding figure and in which the baffles inside of the device are visible;

FIG. 4 is another transverse sectional view of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the upper shell of the device;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper shell of the device.

With reference to the cited figures, the feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine, according to the invention, designated generally by the reference numeral 1, includes an upper shell 2, which is joined to a lower shell 3 so as to form a chamber 4 which has an inlet 5 and an outlet 6. The feeding/distribution device 1, commonly known as tip, is installed in a continuous casting machine, known as caster, for the production of aluminum or zinc strips.

The feeding/distribution device 1 feeds the liquid aluminum or zinc to the casting rolls 20 of the machine and is installed between the rolls 20, on the inlet of the molten metal, as shown schematically in FIG. 1.

The width and length (depth) of the feeding/distribution device 1 are sized in relation to the width of the strip to be produced and to the diameter of the rolls 20.

Inside the feeding/distribution device 1 there are baffles 7 which have the task of conveying the flow of the liquid metal.

According to the present invention, the feeding/distribution device is made of composite materials based on carbon, graphite, calcium silicate.

The provision of the feeding/distribution device 1 with a new refractory material, without using ceramic materials, allows to obtain various and considerable advantages.

First of all, the feeding/distribution device according to the present invention eliminates the R49 carcinogenic inhalation danger.

A further advantage is constituted by the fact of using an environmentally friendly material, which is not classified as dangerous, with consequent elimination of the problem of the disposal of the material.

The feeding/distribution device according to the present invention ensures, by means of the innovative refractory composite material, a operating life that is extended substantially, up to approximately 300%, with respect to traditional ceramic materials.

The feeding/distribution device according to the present invention has resistance to wear and to high temperatures.

A further advantage is constituted by the fact that defects caused by thermal and chemical fatigue phenomena are eliminated.

A further important advantage of the feeding/distribution device according to the present invention is constituted by the reduction of the stops of the caster, with consequent productivity increase.

The increase in productivity is associated with a significant increase in the quality of the final product.

A further advantage, from the point of view of costs, is provided by the possibility to reuse the internal members, i.e., the baffles of the tip, for multiple casting campaigns.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a feeding/distribution device, particularly studied for continuous casting machines for the production of strips of aluminum or zinc, that allows to improve the quality of the product and most of all eliminates the risks due to the use of ceramic materials according to the background art.

The device according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; all the details may furthermore be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to the requirements and the state of the art. 

1. A feeding/distribution device of a continuous casting machine, comprising an upper shell joined to a lower shell so as to form a chamber which has an inlet and an outlet; said device being installed at casting rolls of a continuous casting machine in order to feed liquid aluminum or zinc to said casting rolls; said device being characterized in that it is made of composite materials based on carbon, graphite, calcium silicate.
 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the width and length or depth of said device are sized in relation to the width of the strip to be produced and to the diameter of said rolls.
 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises baffles arranged in said chamber in order to convey the flow of the liquid metal. 